Adding New Additions

[JackieK318]

I'm going to go to the feed store tonight to pick up some more chicks. They'll be the same age as my current chickens in the brooder cage (2.5-3 months). I only have one huge brooder cage (7'x4'). I currently have the 3 guineas, 7 hens and 1 rooster in the brooder cage. I am looking to pick up another rooster (from a neighbor) and more hens. Should I look out for any problems? Would I be okay mixing them in the same cage right away? Should I get another cage to set beside the current chickens for a few days? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

Another question: I have the two Silkies (or random bantams) separated from the standard chickens. Could I put them in with the standard chickens in the brooder cage? They can't directly see each other, but they can hear each other currently.

 

[alex]

i think there should be no problems, but you should still check on them once or twice a day...
-alex

 

[mommahento5]

Have all of the chicks been purchased from the same place? I attended a poultry seminar given by one of Purdue University's poultry experts and asked him about putting my cornish X's in with my egg chickens. He said that you shouldn't mix chicks from different hatcheries or wherever because each place has their own set of "bugs" that the chicks are exposed to. If you mix them, they may pass something to each other. I think I would keep them seperate but I don't know for how long. This guy said that since all of my chicks (my March born egg layers and May born cornish x's) had come from the same hatchery that all should be fine. Maybe someone else would know for how long to keep them separate.

 

[JackieK318]

They're all from the same place. My initial bunch was from the feed mill (hatchery in Lebanon, MO) and some from a local person. They've all done fine and have been together for 6 weeks or so without issues. The new group will be from the hatchery in Lebanon, MO via the feed mill.